


Of coffee and laundry detergent

by Sharky_Smil3



Series: Soulmate drabbles and shots [2]
Category: Dragon Ball
Genre: Alternate Universe, Canon Divergence, Multi, OT3, Polyarmory, Polygamy, and I think I could tag is as polyarmory
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-16
Updated: 2019-02-16
Packaged: 2019-10-29 22:40:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,827
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17816858
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sharky_Smil3/pseuds/Sharky_Smil3
Summary: “I will not be able to smell detergent and softener the same way again,” says Videl, looking back at Trunks with a smile.





	Of coffee and laundry detergent

**Author's Note:**

> This is prompt #3 in this prompt list: https://imagines-fr-days.tumblr.com/post/174376953425/soulmate-au-prompts
> 
> String: red strings appear when you get in close proximity to your soulmate. It pulls you close together.
> 
> I suck at titles, they don’t make sense *cries in Spanish*

“He was my first love,” says Gohan quietly when Videl inquires about the picture of a young man with purple hair.

“What’s his name?”

There is a chuckle before Gohan responds. Videl had come over to help him declutters the room after his last roommate left, now she is the one moving in. Which he doesn’t mind, it’s only natural that couples get together after dating for a while. Especially if they are soul mates.

“Trunks”

“Huh...”says Videl, still eyeing the picture of the male.

“Why,” asks Gohan, before smiling coyly, “caught your eye?”

“Yes. He actually did, care to present us?” Gohan chokes at Videl’s boldness, leave it to her to always do the unexpected.

“I would if I knew where he was”

Videl places the photo back in the photo album where it fell off of. She maneuvers over the taped boxes and trash bags that had been piled throughout the small apartment

Gohan continues sorting what he needs and doesn’t need, when he sees a red string appear and glow dimly against the afternoon sun filtering through their window. Videl wraps her arms around him.

“Do you miss him?”

“Yeah,” he drawls.

“I’m sorry, I did not want to bring up bad memories,” she says just as quietly. Gohan turns around and returns the embrace, resting his chin atop Videl’s head.

“Don’t worry about it, we didn’t part in bad terms. It was more of a ‘we-got-too-busy-to-keep-contact’ type of thing, he was going away to study abroad. And neither of us was good at keeping contact from the start, we just used to catch up on our days when we met back in the apartment. I figured he went his own way after such a long time.”

“I see” murmurs Videl. Slowly an idea creeps at the back of her mind. She can’t help the smile that plasters itself in her face. She pulls back from Gohan and kisses him.

The smile and the twinkle in his girlfriend’s eyes doesn’t go unnoticed, he has seen it plenty of times and has seen enough of the aftermath whenever she smiles like that.

“Videl,” he starts and is cut off by her mirthful laughter.

“Come on, hurry, I am starting to get hungry and there is no way in hell that I’ll eat in this mess.”

 

***

 

She asks Gohan to let her borrow his phone, and from there she gets Trunk’s number. Her plan is finally in motion, all she hopes for now, is that Trunks is open about the whole idea.

“Not creepy at all,” she mutter when she finally starts composing a message from her own cell phone, “some random girl wants to meet because she knows Gohan.” She stops and frown down at her phone because that is fucking creepy.

Okay...now what?

She looks him up in social media but nothing turns up at all, not even those random pictures that appear of people when you search them on the web. Sighing in defeat she tosses her phone on the bed, laying down and covering her eyes with an arm.

“Now what do I do. I don’t want this to keep weighing on his mind.”

She curls in bed, sighing once again as she tries to think of a new plan. When nothing turns up, she lets out a frustrated grunt and decides to instead go out and make a coffee run, Gohan would probably need it. Heck she needed to be more intoxicated with caffeine if she was to think about something better.

Pulling on a green jacket, she bags her keys, phone and some spare change. Quickly she walks down the faded turquoise painted hallway, she can hear kids shouting as she nears one of the doors that lead her into the lobby of their apartment building. She smiles courteously as she passes by a mother and her four children. Ms. Apter, recalls Videl almost instantaneously. She was the woman who helped her find Gohan’s apartment door when she had first come in.

Videl side steps as one of the kids, without looking behind him, almost walks into her, she catches the five year old by the arm when the sudden movement startles him.

“Careful,” is all she says before letting go and walking out into the cold of LA Spring. She stands on the stairs, right outside the building—not yet stepping into the sidewalk and she looks around the street—seems like all parking spots were taken.

“Guess I will have to walk it up to the coffee shop after all,” she mutters, zipping her jacket closed and making her way down the short stairway. She’s too lost in her thoughts to realize someone coming in the same direction as her.

They unceremoniously crash into the other. Videl feels hands quickly take a hold of her to avoid her toppling over.

“Ah! Sorry,” both say and she looks to see-

Strange purple hair. Long strange purple hair.

“Ah, my bad” says the young man, letting her go, “are you all right?”

Videl is too shocked to really form a cohesive sentence at the moment. So she opts for nodding. She stares a tad bit too much because Trunks gives her a funny look before nodding himself.

“I’m really sorry, ah,” he says and quickly looks back up at her when his gaze darts to the ground for a second, “have a good evening,” he says hurriedly before rounding her and dialing his code to get in the building.

“I- yeah, you too,” she manages to articulate and quickly turns around to shout at his retreating back, “sorry about bumping into you!”

He sends her a thumbs up.

She starts walking, and her mind is racing. His hair is longer than in the picture, it is still purple...and fuck he’s hot. So hot. It is no wonder Gohan took a liking to him. And- and he’s polite too.

She’s smiling like an idiot by the time she gets to the coffee shop. She order two lattes with extra shots. Pays up, waits for them to be handed back to her before rushing back home.

This is is perfect, just perfect. Videl had not thought it would be so easy to find the other male so fast. Especially not living in the same apartment building as her.

“Unless he’s visiting someone,” she takes a sip of the latte, and winces when it burns the tip of her tongue. But she can’t feel too annoyed about it, she feels too lightheaded in her happiness.

Now it is just a matter of befriending him and then boom, present him to Gohan and oh—this is too much of a coincidence.

By the time Videl enters the apartment, Gohan is setting his bag down on the couch.

“Welcome back,” he calls with a smile and tired, tired looking eyes. Promptly she hands him the latte.

“You’re a saint Videl,” he kisses her and gratefully takes the warm cup from her hands.

“I know,” she replies unrepentantly beautiful. He watches as the red string once again makes itself present. Seems like the thing actually glows and is visible to other people aside from them two, when their emotions are heightened. Guess close proximity is not enough statement.

“What has you so happy?” He asks, walking over to their small round table and taking a sit. He takes another sip and sighs content as the warmthness of the coffee spreads down his throat, his chest and into his stomach. He is already feeling less tired the more he drinks the beverage.

“Oh nothing,” she says as she swings her legs under the table, resting her chin against her palm. Her heart flutters at the thought of finally getting those two to meet. But then—what about their soul mate string?

Fuck.

“Oh really,” says Videl when she can’t hear Gohan’s talking in the background.

“Yes, so I’ll be away for a night.”

Her eyes widen and she frowns, “wait staying where again?”

“On campus with a group mate, since we have to be there first thing in the morning, and you know how traffic gets.”

“And you are okay with that?”she asks incredulous, eyes squinting at Gohan. If there is one thing Gohan can’t stand, it is to sleep over at a house that isn’t his own. It messes up his sleeping schedule, he gets uncomfortable, overly polite which translates to anxious-house cleaning. So to see that he is willingly going.

“ _Gohan_ ”

“It really is fine Videl,” he says flustering in the process, “besides it is only one night. I think I can handle it.”

Still unconvinced, Videl nods, “You can always call me if you want to be picked up, Gohan.”

“Gee, thanks _mom_ ,” he rolls his eyes and is promptly smacked in retaliation.

“How was your day, love?”

“Oh you don’t want to know,” she answers, and that is Gohan’s first warning to escape. But this is Videl and walking away will not help. She’ll just follow him around until she is done venting, and he rather she do that than keep it bottled up or have her rant throughout the apartment so all their neighbors can hear. Thin walls and all.

 

***

 

“You can always call me.”

“Yes, Videl, I am not a kid anymore,” retorts Gohan as he tosses his duffel bag in the passengers seat.

“Don’t forget to eat.”

“Videl.”

“ And wear your glasses when you are reading, the last thing I want is for you to go blind before you hit your thirties.”

“For the love of- Videl!” Gohan is bright red, and he hugs her to hide his face from the passerby. Her chest vibrates as she returns the hug and pats his back.

“I love you,” she whispers when Gohan pulls back to look her in the eyes. His hands goes up to her face, brushing back a short lock of hair behind her ear, “be careful.”

“I will, love you too Videl,” he kisses her deeply and pecks her lips two more times before fully pulling away. “I’ll call you when I get to campus!”

“Yes!”

Videl watches as Gohan drives away, her smile falls and a frown replaces it. Now it is time to befriend Trunks, with a determined look she goes back inside the building to get ready for the day.

 

At 7:00 am, Gohan is texting her about his arrival. By 8 am Videl decides that the only way to really bump into Trunks is only if she waits outside, so before setting upon her quest, she cleans their apartment and decides to make a run to the laundry room under their building. Their clothes are piling up too much for her own tastes.

Dragging the white bin through the hall and into the lobby where the elevator is, Videl thinks about her plan. How can she befriend Trunks?

The elevator door opens and she comes face to face with the bane of her existence at the moment.

“ _Ah_ ,” recognition sparks in his eyes, this up close, Videl can see that he has beautiful blue eyes, “H-hello how are you?”

Bitting her lip, Videl answers as she drags the white bin into the elevator, it smells of lavender the manager probably recently swept it, “I am good, thank you. How are you?”

“Good,” he answers as the elevator door closes. He tries to stand as far away from Videl as he can. Three painful seconds of awkward silence fall on them as they descend.

“Um,” starts Videl, “sorry about yesterday. I really should watch were I’m walking.”

Trunks raises a hand to rub his neck and looks at Videl, “It’s no problem really, I was distracted too...” he trails and before more silence can take over, Videl raises her hand.

“My name is Videl, I live in the first floor.”

“Trunks,” he says, and hesitantly takes her hand, giving it a firm shake. The door opens and Trunks offers to help her. Something she would have profoundly objected to if it wasn’t that she was trying to actually get the guy to talk to her. Damn, she never tries this bad.

The smell of moisture, detergent and fabric softener assaults her senses as soon as she steps out of the elevator, and it would have been wholly welcome had she not caught the flash of movement.

There is a very familiar red thread. And it is leading to Trunks who is ahead of her, placing the bind on top of an empty washer. His own small laundry bag resting against another washer.

Was Gohan around? She looks around almost scared, the last thing she needed was for Gohan to show up now.

She walks out of the laundry room to check the garage and see if the car was there. Nothing.

“Is everything all right, Videl?” She hears Trunks coming after her, she holds up a hand to him, stopping him on his tracks. Pointing to the thread, she watches as he follows her finger and sees his confused expression morph into bewilderment to horror and back to confusion.

“That’s not-“

“Possible, I know. I have a soul mate already.”

“So do I!”

Both stare at each other in confusion...until Videl thinks of-

Of the possibility...and it is not typical, just very very, very rare for it to happen. Multiple soulmates tied together by the red string of fate.

Videl shakes her hand and places a hand against her forehead, “Okay, let me get this straight, you already have a soul mate. Right?”

“I- yes, yes I do.”

“And so do I...oh my-“ she slams her mouth shut with a click of teeth and stares at Trunks in disbelief. Slowly she realizes that her heart is hammering away in her rib cage. Gohan mentioned he was very dear to him, but he never addressed the issue of the red string. And if that’s the case—

She has before her the biggest revelation and honestly, she can only account it to fate. She feels her mouth twitch.

“Say...does your soul mate,” and she takes a deep breath, because she cannot control her own mirth at the whole ordeal. “Sorry,” she continues and gently smiles at Trunks, whose eyebrows shoot up at the look.

“Is his name Gohan?”

And now Videl cannot decide what is more hilarious, the stuttering mess Trunks becomes or the fact that she is now soul mates with two of the biggest dorks she has ever met in her life— and she has only seen Trunks’ mannerism for a short while.

“Don’t tell me that you-“ he says raising a finger to point at her, “You and Gohan?” He manages to squeak out.

Videl walks up to him and takes his hand, squeezing it tightly.

“Do you realize how nuts this is?”

Trunks can only gesture, still in shock over the revelation.

“Gohan,” says Videl softly.  instantly Trunks is alert, blue eyes fixated on her, she smiles widely, soothingly, “Gohan is going to be so happy.”

“You mean he’s-“

“No, not here at the moment, he left to campus early, and he won’t come back until tomorrow too. Something about a project,” she says as she starts to walk, never letting go of Trunks’ hand.

So the rumors are true, even when far apart, soul mates will always feel a pull, towards a certain location, a place that makes it easier for soul mates to finally encounter each other.

“I will not be able to smell detergent and softener the same way again,” says Videl, looking back at Trunks with a smile. She finally lets his hand go and crosses her arms, leaning against the washing machine.

“So he also lives here too...with you?”

“Yes, I literally moved in like two days ago.”

“I see...” and there is a long embarrassed silence. Fiddling with his denim’s buttons, he asks “How is Gohan doing?”

Videl hums, turns around and starts to unpack the dirty clothes, “why don’t you ask him yourself?”

Trunks makes a choked noise.

“Here,” barrels on Videl, holding up Gohan’s underwear, “wash his clothes. He will be more than happy to know you did.”

If Trunks had not been embarrassed enough already, at this point he wanted the earth to swallow him whole. His whole face heated up from his chest up to his neck, his cheeks and even his ears when he hears Videl laughing.

“How about this, I will leave you to your thoughts,” says Videl, picking up her detergent and empty bin, “and then we can talk about going to Gohan’s university tomorrow. Let’s give him a surprise.”

He nods. That is still the best he can manage.

 

***

 

They spend majority of their night talking about Gohan. How each met him and the erratic nature of the red string.

When Gohan calls Videl goodnight, she puts it in speaker so the purple haired male can hear. The effect is instant. Trunks is listening painfully eager, his eyes brighten and his lips part slightly as if waiting for his turn to respond. Soon they drop when it is only Videl who Gohan addresses.

“I love you, Videl. Rest well.”

“I should be saying that to you” she retorts back, before sighing, “love you too, Gohan. Goodnight.”

“Goodnight.” The call clicks off with two beeps and they are left in silence.

“You know, he still has a picture of you,” starts Videl, standing up to fetch the photo album from their bedroom.

“What?”

“Here,” she says handing Trunks the folded photograph. Trunks gingerly takes it and snorts, and smiles lightly. It is almost too mesmerizing for Videl to ignore the way Trunks smiles every time he remembers anything related to Gohan.

“This,” he says softly, eyes impossibly far away, “this was before I moved away for the abroad program.”

“He did mention that.”

“It’s weird...I don’t know why I didn’t try harder to keep contact...maybe I held onto the red thread that connected us...a little too much.”

“It’s only natural,” says Videl, elbow resting against the chair’s back as she balances it on two legs, she’s staring up at the ceiling. “He is your soul mate, so you’d figure that the distances or the lack of communication won’t matter.”

“Yes...I suppose that is why...” trails Trunks, still looking at his past self.

“Which makes both of you the biggest idiots I have ever met,” claims Videl, letting the chair snap back on all four legs. Her eyes are fierce as she gives Trunks a pointed look.

“Sure, soul mate, string of fate, but you are most importantly and firstly,” she says, taking a breath, “human. It is only natural too, that you’ll eventually feel abandoned. Hurt, awkward and confused trying to figure out where it all went wrong. So both of you are idiots for relying on that, and for not communicating enough. You ain’t kids anymore,” finishes Videl with an eye roll, her chin resting against her palm. She’s piercing Trunks with her dark eyes.

Trunks chuckles, “You are entirely right.”

“Of course I am.”

“Then will you help me to get to know Gohan once again?” He asks, hand out stretched in plea. Videl hums and places her own hand onto of Trunks’.

“What would you two do without me?”

“I don’t have enough information to make an opinion,” he starts which earns him a playful slap to the hand from Videl, he smiles, “but I think we can start to get to know each other.”

“Gohan will have a heart attack,” is Videl’s gleeful response. Trunks sees the twinkle of mischief behind her dark eyes. The red thread that connected them glows in a golden red color.

“I think so too.”

 

***

 

It is seven in the afternoon, pretty dark out considering that daylight savings had yet to start, it is cold too and windy. In an ironic way, Videl is not the one suffering from hair slapping her face, that falls on Trunks who is doing his best to keep his bangs out of his eyes.

“He’s going to have a heart attack,” repeats Videl, she has had five cups of coffee, and she’s vibrating in her spot. They are right at the entrance of Ecoyr Hall, and its a few minutes before classes are dismissed.

“What if he doesn’t want to see me?” Asks Trunks, doubt overwhelming him. He’s going to see Gohan. _Gohan_. After so many years. Will he be glad? Sad? Feel betrayed? Trunks’ own heart wants to leap out of his chest and leave in fear of having those eye look at him with coldness. Trunks is brought out of his musing when he feels a warm soft hand.

“It will be fine, Trunks. Believe me,” she says firmly, before bring her hands before her mouth and blow hot air.

Soon a flood of students come out. Their string starts to glow starkly against the darkness, and both Videl and Trunks gasp and then laugh.

“We have to calm down. Gohan will see it before he sees you!” As color fades away, Trunks can see the outline of two distinct separate threads, slowly coming together to form one. One single thread leading to...

“Videl and-“ Gohan stops short on his tracks.

“Hello Gohan.”

Wordlessly, while keeping his eyes on Trunks, Gohan walks towards Videl grabs her arm and pulls her to the side.

“Am I dreaming?”

Videl laughs before answering, looking back at Trunks and giving him a thumbs up, “No Gohan you are not dreaming.”

“Punch me.”

“I am not punching you Gohan, that’s really-“

“Trunks,” finishes Gohan, eyes darting to see behind Videl. Trunks walked up to them.

“You know, leaving people standing on the side is not exactly welcoming, Gohan.”

“He thinks he’s dreaming,” answers Videl, making a face.

“Trunks!” shouts Gohan, grabbing the other’s arms.

“Gohan!”

“Trunks?”

“G-Gohan?”

“Trunks you damn-“ and he cuts himself short, hugging the long haired male instead. “Where have you been all this time?” He whispers, holding onto the other for dear life. The string that connects all three glowing brightly.

Trunks shoots Videl a bewildered look over Gohan’s shoulder. She smiles and mouths coffee before walking away.

 

“I- I’m finally back.”

“Welcome back,” sniffles Gohan and Trunks quickly pushes him away.

“Gohan? You’re crying?”

“Sorry,” he says, wiping at his eyes, “I guess...I just thought this day would never come.”

Smiling, Trunks places a cold hand against Gohan’s cheek, “I was waiting for this too.”

Gohan’s eyes widen as a thought occurs.

“Videl-“

“She went to fetch coffee, I’d follow but I don’t know this place.”

Readjusting the strap of his bag, Gohan nods and leads the way, “I know where she is at.”

They walk in silence, their shoulders brushing so close they can feel each other’s warmth. Slowly, a smile creeps up in Gohan’s face. This is the first time in years that he finally meets Trunks and it is under unprecedented circumstances...huh.

“How do you know Videl...?” It comes out more as an incredulous statement than a question.

“Ah...we happened to bump into each other.”

“Where?” He asks as he glances at Trunks. Up close he can see the details of his face, the way he furrows his eyes when in recalling something, the way the corner of his eyes wrinkle when he smiles and his long hair. He hears Trunks’s answer but Gohan finds himself far too mesmerized in Trunks hair and— and wow his hair style really does suit him. It’s like he is falling for him all over again.

Unsurprisingly too. Trunks did always have a knack for making heads turns. The way he carried himself, so serious, so rigid at times. And when he spoke so smooth like velvet, so quiet but firm, and in such a manner that every time he said something it was like he was telling you a secret, too important to be shouted out to the world but important enough to be said in public places. For someone who tended to keep to himself for the most part, Trunks also seemed to attract crowds. Perhaps they were attracted to his aloof nature, or the fact that he is always someone to rely on, whatever it was, it still manages to catch Gohan off guard.

He’s drawn out of his musings when Trunks stops walking and turns to see him with confused blue eyes.

“Um...” he looks back up ahead before meeting Gohan’s gaze again.

“Ah! Sorry sorry, here this way...” and leads them through tall brick buildings, over idyllic green grass. The murmur of student making their way to their homes accompanies them. Gohan smiles when he catches Trunks looking around in awe. “It looks good,” he interrupts the orchestrated sounds of university night life.

“Yeah, it’s a beautiful campus,” responds Trunks modestly.

“Ah no...” trails Gohan scratching his cheek with a finger, a tint of pink coloring his cheeks, “I meant your hair. You always kept it short, but this also fits you.”

“Thanks,” says Trunks, brushing a hand through his purple locks. “You don’t seem to change yourself.”

“Eh! You think? And here Videl and I went to buy new clothes for me,” Gohan looks down at his clothes, causing the other male to laugh quietly.

“No, no, you look fine Gohan. I like it,” he rests a hand against’s the others shoulder, “it’s comforting to see something so familiar.” Gohan smiles, takes Trunks hand and finally leads them into one of the buildings of the university, the food court.

Videl is sitting by Meets Cafe, three cups of coffee steaming hot and awaiting. She’s on her phone and doesn’t look up as they sit across from her. When she finally finishes, methodically she places the phone down, smiles at them and takes a sip of her own coffee before speaking up.

“I take it, it went well?”

“Videl-“

“No no, you are very welcome Gohan,” she cuts off, holding up her palms, “I too I’m very fortunate to find out we are all soul mates.”

“Crazy.”

“Yeah, crazy is right,” agrees Videl. She turns her attention to Gohan and Trunks.

“Well aren’t you two the cutest? All awkward and shit,” she says, lacing her fingers under her chin.

“It’s just unbelievable...” mutters Gohan and pauses, tilting his head slightly, “Videl...how did you...”

“Go about meeting Trunks. Funny story, actually, I quite literally bumped into him and then met him in the laundry room.”

“You live in our build!?” He turns to look at Trunks, bewildered.

“Yes, as I had said before,” is Trunks reply, he raising an eyebrow at Gohan.

“He was probably gawking the whole time,” she comments against the cup, earning her a glare from Gohan, which is more of a kicked-puppy kind of look rather than an actual glare.

“I had actually noticed the red string the night Videl and I bumped into each other, but I thought it was just my eyes playing tricks on me. That and I haven’t been sleeping too well.”

“Really now- are you okay? Feeling sick?” Gohan raises a hand to place it against Trunks’s forehead. Videl takes this as an opportunity to take a picture of the two. Much to both of her soul mates’ chagrin, but she couldn’t help it. Pictures were the only thing that gave permanence to important emotions and moments. Memory doesn’t, it falters, fades and distorts them to mush all memories together. At least with a picture and a note at the bottom she could create a permanent memory.

“Perhaps we should get going soon, we all need to sleep. And I got a quiz tomorrow morning.”

“You also come here, Videl?”

“No, I go further south from our apartment building. Southern Los Angeles.”

“What about you Trunks? What happened to the abroad program? Did you finish it? Are you transferring to any university near by? Do you need help with applications?”

“Gohan stop,” is their simultaneous order. They look at each other and laugh.

“Some things really don’t change,” says Trunks with a chuckle.

“Oh and do not get him started with the Many-Worlds Interpretation,” says Videl with a roll of eyes, but sends Gohan a fond smile when he voices his protest.

The three fall into a long silence, uneasy and awkward at worst. Gohan fidgets for a bit in his seat.

“This is going to take a while getting use to, huh.”

“Yes, yes it will. But, now we have years to come to make it work,” replies Videl, reaching for Trunks’ and Gohan’s hand. She squeezes them and holds their gaze— full of hope and trust. It is a new thing for all three, perhaps a challenge. But if they have been fated to be together, who are they to think otherwise?

Trunks stares at their tangled hands and raises his other free hand to place on top. He laughs airily.


End file.
